June 9, 2014

DePaola selected for prestigious national panel

A physics professor has been invited to participate in a national panel discussion for Jefferson Science Fellows.

Brett DePaola, professor of physics, will speak at the Jefferson Science Fellows program's 10-year event on Tuesday, July 15. DePaola, a Jefferson Science Fellow, spent the 2010-2011 academic year as a scientific adviser in Washington, D.C.

As part of the event, former, current and entering Jefferson Science Fellows will gather for one day in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the program's anniversary.

The event will include a panel discussion, "Sharing Success Stories of Fellows' Actions at Home Institutions." As a panel member, DePaola will speak and share examples of how he has incorporated his experience as a Jefferson Science Fellow at the U.S. State Department into his work at Kansas State University.

"It all comes down to institutional support," DePaola said. "With the encouragement of my department head and academic dean, I was able to create a course based on my experiences at the U.S. Department of State. Further, with the support of President Schulz, we were able to create a new distinguished lecture series, in which past Jefferson Science Fellows are invited to K-State to interact with our faculty."

Tenured academic scientists and engineers from U.S. higher education institutions are eligible for Jefferson Science Fellowships. The program is administered by the National Academies and supported through partnerships with the science, technology and engineering academic community; professional scientific societies; the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

During each fellow's one-year assignment, his or her salary and benefits are paid by the academic institution at which the appointment is held. The fellow's academic position is maintained.